This invention relates to an improved cleaning wand including a head removably attachable to a handle, and method for assembling same, for cleaning lavatory facilities.
The cleaning of lavatory facilities, such as toilet bowls and urinals, often requires the utilization of a cleaning device or wand. A cleaning wand typically comprises a handle having a brush or cleaning head on one end thereof. Further, the brush or head is typically permanently attached to the handle, thereby requiring disposal of the entire device when the head or brush becomes worn or otherwise unusable. If the cleaning head is not securely attached to the handle it may tend to loosen and/or fall off during the cleaning process. Finally, the device typically accommodates only a single type of cleaning element.
Prior attempts to alleviate the problems associated with lavatory cleaning devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,364 issued to Hammond, U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,879 issued to Christo, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,272 issued to Stephenson. U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,879 discloses a cleaning head or connector which is connected to a handle by means of a retaining projection on the inner surface of the connector and a receiving groove in the handle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,417,364 and 4,135,272 disclose a cleaning connector or head in threaded engagement with the handle. Removal of the connector or head thus requires the cumbersome rotation of the handle and/or rotation of the connector or head. If the brush or yarn has any cleaning solution thereon and the connector is rotated, the acidic solution may easily spin off onto the user's face or clothing.
In addition to the above described limitation, none of the devices disclosed in the aforementioned patents permit the removal of the yarn or other cleaning elements from the head or connector without the removal of the strap which connects the cleaning elements directly to the head. Furthermore, all of the devices described in the referenced patents are limited to the utilization of a single cleaning element, namely, a plurality of threads or pieces of yarn.